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How To Run a Google Surge aka a Google Network Blast

My favorite ClickZ reporter and Jersey City native Kate Kaye has been on a roll lately when it comes to writing about a seldom used, yet increasing in popularity tactic offered via Google called a Google Surge or a Google Blast. First she wrote an article about the New York Congressional Race in which the Democrats used a Google Surge, then she followed up with a profile of the Yes on Proposition 8 race, and a blog post naming me (yes yours truly) as the inventor of the phrase Google Surge.

As you can see in the comments I left, yes I did started calling it a Google Surge but it had nothing to do with McCain's strategy of supporting the Iraq Troop Surge; it was simply a surge in spending and the first time I employed it, it was during Bobby Jindal's campaign for LA Governor which he won.

Since Jindal's campaign I've used it several times including the RNC during the 2008 Presidential Race, McCain's campaign during both the Primary Season as well as the General Election season, and in my own race to gain a seat on my town's Board of Education (just ask some of my neighbors who couldn't log on to their PC without seeing one of my campaign ads). Since the cat's out of the bag (thanks Kate), here's some more details on how and why you'd use a Google Surge.

THE INS AND OUTS OF RUNNING A GOOGLE SURGE

I didn't invent this process at all and never claimed to have invented it. All I did was listen to my Google Sales Rep years ago that told me I could have my ads run across Google's search and ad sense networks.

A Google Surge can work because Google's network reaches about 81% of the internet according to comScore's February traffic rankings. Google ranks fourth behind Platform A (AOL and ad.com), Yahoo, and ValuClick.

However, Google makes it very easy and transparent to buy across their ad network as opposed to the other three ahead of them. You can turn it off and on, switch your creatives out on the fly, use their conversion tracking, and adjust your cost bids by site or overall.

The only real catch with Google is that you are buying this Google Surge on a CPM basis not on your typical CPC purchase tactic.

The amount of money you are spending on a Google Surge is not for the timid advertiser, but you can of course geo-target and time of day target it.

Google supplies you with the site list and you can adjust it. That makes any Google Surge a proprietary strategy unless of course you don't change the site list. I ALWAYS DO.

The site CPMs also need to be adjusted, but don't forget you are dealing with 1000s of individual sites so it really takes dedication and knowledge to make the changes.

You need to make sure running a Google Surge aligns with your campaign's goals.

Anyway, I have other tricks of the trade for running a Google Surge, but the most important thing for you to remember is to work with your Google account team when setting something like this up. As my version of the name implies, this will definitely cause a surge in your daily spending.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Comments

Hey Eric,
Any chance you can give some more insight into your Google Surge, tips n tricks? Also, what kind of conversion ratios are seeing by doing the CPM vs CPC?

1) Every Surge is a little different. I often change the site list from client to client
2) Even though Google recommends a flat CPM I often change them site by site; for example, if it includes MySpace no need to pay CPMs more than a pack of gum.
3) Your better have some kick ass creative or you are going to blow your money

In answer to your non-Surge question, CPC often result in better back-end conversions. That's not to say that paid search always performs better than content; some clients and political campaigns content CPC buying outperforms paid search. I like to reserve the CPM buying for pay per click video, branding campaigns, as well as the Surge.

Hi Eric, very interesting your experience!
I just don't get the difference between Google site targeting and Google Blast.. Here in my country Google balst is not available yet, maybe that's the reason why i don't understand, but it really sounds like a huge site target, but it can't be.. what's the big difference?

A Google Surge aka Blast is just a greater use of site targeting. You only need your Google Rep to provide you with a list of their sites and site packs and you could be off and running on a Surge. It is almost always bought on a CPM and the object is to get your ads in front of a ton of people - basically you need a LOT of money to run a surge.

Actually Blast arrived in my country and I had the chance to try it for a customer.. Maybe I needed support from a little more experienced Google staff, which has really been inaccurate here in my country!! :-) The campaign delivered all the impressions bought in half a day, it didn't get to the evening.. too bad.

At least i got some experience, for sure next time i won't let it display in all the languages availables!

Very good post and very informative as well!!A Google Surge aka Blast is just a greater use of site targeting.Every Surge is a little different,even though Google recommends a flat CPM I often change them site by site.

J Hass Group - while factually correct in a Twitter description, I never recommend using the entire site pack received from Google. The sites, bids, and how you structure them should be unique to each Surge.

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